Trolley-wire insulator



t NrTED STATES PATENT Fries.

ALBERT ANDERSON, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

TROLLEY-WIRE INSULATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 484,280, dated October 1 1, 1892.

Application filed December 23, 1890. Serial No. 376,552. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, ALBERT ANDERSON, of Boston, countyof Suffolk, State of-Massachusetts,have invented an Improvement in Trolley-Wire Hangers or Supports, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, 'is a specification, like letters and figures on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to a suspending device or hanger especially adapted to be used on the overhead system of electric railways to sustain the trolley-wire in operative position.

My invention has for its object to improve and simplify the construction of trolley-wire hangers, whereby the hanger may be readily secured to the span-wire without cutting the latter and after the span-wire has been put up and secured in place.

In accordance wi th my invention the hanger is preferably composed of two substantiallyarch-shaped frames or pieces, preferably of sheet-steel struck up, which are riveted or otherwise secured together to form a channel or groove extended over the arch-shaped frame for the reception of the span-wire. Each arch-shaped frame has secured to or forming part of it a rounded or cup-shaped projection or portion, preferably provided on its inner side with teeth, constituting locking devices by which an insulator, preferably molded in the cup-shaped portions, after the arch-shaped frames have been secured together may be retained in place. The insulator supports a clamping or holding device for the trolley-wire, the said device being adapted to be locked to a pin or stud extended from the insulator, as will be described.

My invention therefore consists in the combination, with substantiallyarch shaped frames provided with enlarged portions to form a socket or insulator-receptacle, of an insulator in said socket and a clamping device secured to said insulator, substantially as will be described.

Otherfeatures: of my invention will be pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification.

Figure 1 represents a trolley-wire hanger embodying my invention, the span-wire being broken off; Fig. 2,a side elevation of the to engage the trolley-wire; Fig. 4, a side ele- I vation of the clamping device shown in Fig. 3; Fig. 5, a detail, on an enlarged scale, of a portion of one part or half of the clamping device to more clearly show the locking projection; Fig. 6, a detail to more clearly show the locking-teeth on the inside of the cupshaped portion of one of the arch-shaped frames; Fig. '7,a detail, on an enlarged scale, showing the trolley-wire as secured by the clamping device; Fig. 8, a detail to be eferred to; Fig. 9, a sectional detail on line y y, Fig. 5; and Fig. 10, a detail to be referred to.

My improved hanger is composed, as herein shown, of two substautially-arch-shaped frames or pieces A A, preferably made of sheet 1netalsuch as sheet-steel"struck up to leave outturned flanges aa, and substantially-cup-shaped portions or bosses a (t the said frames being united together by rivets or in othersuitable manner. The outturned flanges a a. form a groove or channel when the pieces A A are joined together for the reception of the span-wire a and the cupshaped portions a a form a substantiallybell-shaped socket for the reception of an insulator a, which is preferably molded into the said bell-shaped socket and is retained therein, as herein represented, by locking projections or teeth a on the inner surface of the cup-shaped portions (t a as shown in Fig. 6. The insulator a supports a clamping device for the trolley-wire a as will be described.

The clamping device referred to is preferably made as herein shown, it consisting of two parts or members I) 1), preferably made of sheet-steel struck up to form a body portion 2, a shoe 3, longitudinally grooved or recessed to embrace the trolley-wire, and inwardly-projecting locking-bends 4, the metal between adjacent locking bends being punched or out out to leave openings. The locking-bends 4 of one member, as I), register with the openings of the other member, as b, and vice versa, so that when the members I) b of the clamping device are fitted together to embrace or hold the trolley-wire the cooperating locking-bends interlock and form a groove or passage, into which may be inserted a locking device or pin b In Fig. 4 the bends 4 of the member-b are seen protruding through the openings in the member I) from the back thereof. The bodyportions 2 of the members I) b are provided, as shown, with substantially-tubular projections b b having inwardly-projecting lugs I) (see Fig. 9) to engage a groove or channel Win a pin orpost b (see Fig. 10,) extended into the insulator a, the said pin or post being preferably embedded in the said insulator; but, if desired, it may be screwed or otherwise secured therein.

The members b b of the clamping device may be fastened together near their upper part in any suitable man her, they being herein shown as loosely secured together by rivets b In operation the hanger may be placed in position before or after the spanwire has been putup. If before the span-wire is put up the said wire may be made in two parts, which may be fastened to the opposite ends of the arch-shaped frames, preferably to'studs,

rivets, or pins 0, (see Figs. 1, 2, and 8,) inserted through the holes 0' in the said frames;

but if it is desired to secure the hanger to the span-wire after the latter has been put up the said span-wire may be bent over the arch-shaped frames and bent down, some to pass below the pins or studs 0, which may then 1 be inserted into their holes and the span-wire allowed to bear upward upon the said pins or studs, the tension on the span-wire serving to maintain the hangerin proper upright position. The holes 0' are made large enough to receive the pins 0, and said pinsare pref erably provided with annular grooves 0 which receive the edges of the holes as the span-wire bears upward on the pins, and. by depressing said pins or relieving the tension upon the span-wire they may be removed when desired. The clamping device may then be fitted upon the stud or post h and the shoes 3 made to partially encircle the trolley-wire, as shown in'Figs. 1 and 7, and the parts may then be locked together by inserting the pin or rod in the groove or passage formed by the locking-bends.

The shoes3 of the clamping device are preferably made to embrace or encircle only a portion of a trolley-wire, so that a port1on of the wire is left exposed to make contact w t the usual trolley-wheel without interruptmg the continuity of the circuit, and thereby avoiding the creation of sparks. v I

The clamping device may be readily removed from engagement with the trolley-wire and with the stud or post by withdrawing the l locking-pin from the locking-bends.

The clamping device herein described may be used with other forms of support for the insulator.

I clairn l. The combination,with substantially-archshaped frames provided with enlarged portionsto form a socket orinsulator receptacle,

0f an insulator in said socket and a clampfing device secured to said insulator, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with a hanger or suptport consisting of frames A A of sheet metal istruck up to form flanges a a, and bosses or projections a a of aninsulator located within said bosses or projections and means to supiport a trolley-wire secured to the said insuil-ator, substantially as described.

3-. The combination, with a hanger or sup- ;port consisting of substantially-arch-shaped frames AA of sheet metal struck up to leave jfianges a a and secured together,and pins or studs in the ends of the said frames,.of a spanwire extended over the said frames and under the said pins or studs, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of' two subscribing witnesses.

ALBERT ANDERSON. Witnesses:

J AS. H. CHURCHILL,

EMMA J. BENNETT. 

